#TripleThreatofMobileFacebookAdvertising

Advertisers — from branding and direct response, consumer to B2B — all seem to be trying to figure out where and how to integrate the mobile into their Facebook advertising strategy.

Is it a stand-alone strategy? Is it a channel? Is it an individual ad unit?

I am no guru, or the commonly over-used ‘Social Media Expert’, but I do have the benefit of working directly in the space, with the leading social networks and with sophisticated advertisers across multiple industries, so I will drop a little knowledge regarding the mobile discussion based on trends I am regularly seeing.

Fundamentally, advertising — social or traditional — is looking to generate demand. In order to generate demand, you have to start with the customer. So let’s go back to the fundamentals, like in basketball, make sure you are in the triple threat before you execute.

The triple threat of Mobile:

#Context: Understand the channel. Facebook mobile advertising is all in the newsfeed. What does that mean? Big images, social context, your message is front and center. The newsfeed is about the user and they feel they control what shows up in there so make sure your ads assimilate. No one wants to see the neon lights of the Vegas strip if they are planning on going on a wine tasting in Martha ’s Vineyard.

#Purpose: Understand what users use mobile devices to accomplish — the ‘what’ and ‘why’. People want to: see who checked-in where, what Instagram pictures their friends posted and how to kill time while waiting in line at Starbucks. Since Mobile is all newsfeed based and transitional, your messaging needs to be simple, relevant and direct.

#Action: Understand the limitations of the channel and your website. If your website’s mobile user experience is clunky, or there isn’t one, do the user a favor don’t send them there. Since mobile is transitional, it is best to make the call to actions simple. KISS it, #KeepItSimpleStupid. Keep them within Facebook. Think offers — people can redeem them and save them for later. Make sure actions fluid and not disruptive.

At the end of the day, mobile should be a tactic, and a component, of an integrated Facebook Advertising strategy. Specifics will differ per advertiser but remember it should all be user-centric and make sure you start with the triple threat. #ContextPurposeAction